Energy

The joblessness rate in D.C.'S Ward 7 is 16.4 percent; in Ward 8 it's more than 24 percent, according District estimates. Commentator the Reverend Jered Weber-Johnson -- pastor at St. Alban's Episcopal Church -- says community-led efforts expanding the local green energy economy can both improve the environment and create green jobs for residents.

With the dangers of nuclear power playing out in Japan, fighting in Libya pushing up oil prices, and environmentalists urging a reduction in dependence on coal, America is looking for energy alternatives.

One that seemed promising is natural gas. But critics say the process of getting gas from the ground may be risky, which is a question playing out in the Commonwealth.

Fairfax County resident Ron Ball was one of the first people in Virginia to buy the Chevy Volt, a new eco-friendly electric car. As an avid environmentalist, he had been dreaming of owning a Volt for years. But now that he has one, he's discovering life as a proud Volt owner is more complicated than he realized.

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